MEDEMBLIK – Contest Yachts, founded in 1959, makes performance sailing yachts with a center cockpit. Like its 15.2m 50ft Contest which has been part of its fleet for 40 years.
Now the yard offers a new model with a cockpit running to the transom. The Contest 49CS has an “aft cockpit” that’s very different from the yard’s tried and true center cockpits family. In fact, with the new 49CS, Contest Yachts introduces a distinctive design that is surprisingly different while retaining the brand’s high quality.
Contest Yachts says the exceptional configuration meets clients’ wishes. Owner Arjen Conijn: “Historically, we have been market leaders in the center cockpit segment, and this is underlined by the recently launched Contest 50CS that has won international awards. However, we also have clients for this length who prefer an aft cockpit. That’s why we used our 42CS, our 2014 European Yacht of the Year, as a model for the new design.”
Developing the 14.9m 49CS was a joint project with judel/vrolijk & co naval architects, Wetzels Brown Partners for interior design and Lloyd’s Register for classification compliance.
All Contest yachts are built in-house. The yard uses single-shot vacuum injection for the hulls. This means the resin is added to the laminate with extreme precision in a single shot. It makes for stiff, solid but light hulls. The 49CS, like all Contest yachts, will be free of disruptive noise and vibration, says the yard.
Another standout feature is the deck layout and the below-deck accommodations.
The stern houses two roomy double cabins with exceptional headroom. Next to the cabin stairs on the port side is the galley with two worktops. You can brace yourself here under all conditions. To starboard is a spacious shower/toilet room. The salon has lots of light and L-shaped settees on both sides, a table to the right of the center and a navigation corner on the starboard side.
The owner’s cabin up front boasts a double bed and a separate shower/toilet area. The deck layout has lots of living space. The aft cockpit consists of two parts: the forward section remains free of sheets and trim lines which are fed to the aft section with its twin steering wheels. The latter are not close to the stern but are placed forward to give the helmsman direct contact with others on board. Another attractive advantage: there is room behind the steering positions for a lounge area.
“Both above and below deck, the 49CS offers a very different experience to that of a conventional cockpit,” says Conijn. “The Contest 49CS has two large, identical cabins in the rear with lots of headroom and the owner’s cabin upfront. This is ideal for families with children. Or for cruising with guests. There is a choice of two twin beds or a double in each aft cabin. The stern also holds a garage for a dinghy.
www.contestyachts.com
